Pakistani FM heads to Moscow today as efforts on to finalize oil deal

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari speaks during a press conference in Karachi on October 15, 2022. (AFP/File)
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Updated 29 January 2023

Pakistani FM heads to Moscow today as efforts on to finalize oil deal

  • Russia last week conceptually agreed to provide cheap crude oil to cash-strapped Pakistan on easy payment terms
  • Bhutto-Zardari will meet his Russian counterpart and deliberate upon the 'entire spectrum' of bilateral relations

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will be leaving for Moscow today, according to the Pakistani foreign office, amid efforts to finalize an oil deal between cash-strapped Pakistan and Russia. 

This is Bhutto-Zardari maiden visit to Russia since becoming the foreign minister last year. It follows the visit of a Russian delegation to Islamabad to attend the 8th Pakistan-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC) meetings in Islamabad earlier this month.  

The Russian delegation signed multiple memoranda of understanding with Pakistan in different sectors and also conceptually agreed to provide cheap crude oil to the cash-strapped South Asian nation, which has been struggling for months to meet its energy needs amid a severe forex crunch. 

In view of Pakistan’s deteriorating economic conditions and its forex reserves declining to a staggering $3.6 billion, Russia has also said it will allow Islamabad to pay for the energy imports in currencies of friendly countries. 

“Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will undertake an official visit to Moscow at the invitation of Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov from 29-30 January 2023,” the Pakistani foreign office said in a statement on Saturday. 

“The foreign minister will hold official talks with his Russian counterpart where the two sides would deliberate upon the entire spectrum of bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.” 

Over the decades, Pakistan-Russia ties have seen many ups and downs, mainly due to the Islamabad’s alliance with Washington. But in recent years, relations between the two states have warmed up as a countermeasure to proximity between India and the United States (US) on world issues. 

On Friday, Reuters reported that Independent Russian oil refiner Forteinvest had clinched a deal that will see 1,000 tons of Russian gasoline sent to Pakistan by land for the first time. 

The development came days after US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said “now is not the time” to bolster economic ties with Russia, as the West continues to find ways to curtail Moscow’s finances due to its invasion of Ukraine. 

The Pakistani government, however, reiterated that the South Asian country would go ahead with the oil deal with Russia, adding that all deals will be finalized by March and oil will arrive in Pakistan by the end of April.  


Ramadan moon sighted, Pakistan to observe first fast on Thursday

Updated 22 March 2023

Ramadan moon sighted, Pakistan to observe first fast on Thursday

  • Moon-sighting testimonies received from Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Mardan and other cities, Ruet-e-Hilal Committee says
  • Muslims in Pakistan and around the world fast from dawn till sunset during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's central moon-sighting committee announced on Wednesday that the Ramadan moon had been sighted and the nation would observe the first fast of the holy month from Thursday. 

The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee (RHC), Pakistan's official body responsible for sighting the new moon marking the beginning of each Islamic month, held a meeting to sight the Ramadan crescent in Pakistan's northwestern city of Peshawar. 

"Testimonies of sighting the moon of the holy month of Ramadan were received from many parts of Pakistan," RHC Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad said during a news conference. "These [areas] included Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Swabi, Killa Saifullah and Mardan. And the moon has been sighted," he added. 

"Hence, it was decided according to consensus that the first of Ramadan, 144 A.H. will fall on Thursday, March 23, 2023, God willing," Azad said.  

 

 

 

Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, wherein Muslims abstain from food and drink from sunrise till sunset for a month.

This is followed by the sighting of the new moon and is marked by Eid Al-Fitr, a religious holiday and celebration that is observed by Muslims across the world.


Pakistan political crisis deepens as election body postpones Punjab elections to Oct. 8

Updated 22 March 2023

Pakistan political crisis deepens as election body postpones Punjab elections to Oct. 8

  • Not possible to hold and organize elections fairly and peacefully on April 30, says Pakistan's election regulator
  • Fresh schedule will be issued in due course of time with poll date on October 8, says Election Commission of Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's political crisis deepened on Wednesday as the election regulator announced polls in the country's most populous Punjab province would be postponed from April 30 to October 8.

The move is likely to irk former Prime Minister Imran Khan who, since his ouster from office last April, has been calling for early elections and holding mass demonstrations and sit-ins to pile pressure on the government. In recent days, Khan's party has said it would launch countrywide street protests if general elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where provincial assemblies were dissolved in January, are not held within a constitutionally mandated 90-day limit.

After much political and legal debate, Pakistan’s President Arif Alvi announced April 30 as the date for Punjab provincial assembly elections earlier this month. 

The president announced the date after Pakistan's top court ruled that elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provinces should be held within 90 days of the dissolution of the provincial legislatures.

The controversy was triggered when former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and allies dissolved the Punjab and KP  provincial assemblies in January, in a bid to force the government of PM Shehbaz Sharif to announce nationwide polls.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said in a notification that it held meetings on March 20, 21, and 22 to "deliberate extensively" on the matter of Punjab elections after receiving briefings from law enforcement agencies, ministries of finance, defence, interior and the secretary of Punjab, 

"The Commission after considering the reports, briefing and material brought before it, has arrived at the just conclusion that it is not possible to hold and organize the elections honestly, justly, fairly, in a peaceful manner and in accordance with the Constitution and law," it said. 

"The Commission hereby withdraws the election program issued vide Notification No. F. 2(3)/2023/Cord dated 8th March, 2023 and fresh schedule will be issued in due course of time with poll date on 08th October, 2023," it added. 

"The constitution and the Supreme Court have been practically abolished," Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, a close aide of Khan, wrote on Twitter. "Pakistan is now without a constitution."

 

 

 

Ousted via a parliamentary vote in April 2022, Khan has been pressurizing the government to hold early elections, a demand repeatedly rejected by PM Shehbaz Sharif. Khan has alleged that the ruling coalition government is "running away" from elections out of fear of his surging popularity. 


Pakistan seeks parliament ruling to empower authorities to tackle ex-PM Khan's party

Updated 22 March 2023

Pakistan seeks parliament ruling to empower authorities to tackle ex-PM Khan's party

  • Ruling was asked for in joint session of parliament convened over instability caused by crisis over Khan
  • Interior minister requested house give "guidance" to government about violence stoked by Khan's supporters

LAHORE: Pakistan's Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Wednesday sought a parliament ruling to empower authorities to tackle former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party's alleged involvement in violence.

The ruling was asked for in a joint session of parliament convened over the instability caused by the crisis over Khan.

Sanaullah told the house nearly 68 security personnel were injured in clashes and 16 arrested Khan aides will be tried on terrorism charges.

The clashes erupted after Khan's supporters prevented police and paramilitary forces from arresting him in a case in which he is accused of unlawfully selling state gifts during his tenure as premier from 2018-2022. He denies any wrongdoing.

The minister requested the house give "guidance" to the government about the violence stoked by Khan's supporters, who he said included "miscreants, armed groups, and terrorists".

"It is required that the security forces should be given authority and other measures to deal with this issue," he said, adding that Khan's agenda is "chaos and anarchy."

The government has alleged that Khan's supporters had militants among them and ministers have called for proscribing Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.

Khan has rejected the allegation, saying that the government wanted his party out of politics.

The former premier has demanded snap elections since he was ousted in a parliamentary vote of confidence in April last year. Khan's successor Shehbaz Sharif has said that a general election will be held as scheduled later this year.


Pakistani TV anchor breaks internet for continuing bulletin amid powerful earthquake jolts

Updated 56 min 51 sec ago

Pakistani TV anchor breaks internet for continuing bulletin amid powerful earthquake jolts

  • Local TV anchor Shah Faisal says powerful earthquake "frightened" him
  • 6.5-magnitude earthquake in parts of Pakistan killed at least 10 on Tuesday

PESHAWAR: A Pakistani TV anchor broke the internet this week after a video of him continuing to read a news bulletin amid a powerful earthquake late on Tuesday evening was shared widely on social media.

At least 10 people were killed and over 60 injured in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province on Tuesday night when a 6.5-magnitude earthquake jolted parts of the South Asian country.

In a video that has gone viral on social media since, young TV anchor Shah Faisal, 30, can be seen reading the news when tremors start to shake the studio. Instead of running to safety, the journalist, who works for Pashto-language Mashriq TV in KP's provincial capital Peshawar, breaks the news of the earthquake.

"The cameraman had already fled while I was here in the studio," Faisal, who hails from Mardan city, told Arab News in an interview at the studio. "I was speaking, but in my mind, I kept thinking, 'What will happen now?' Our studio is on the fifth floor and it was shaking a lot, there were a lot of jolts."

Before the quake struck, Faisal was reading a news story about Prime Minister Shehbaz during the 09:00 p.m. bulletin. Next, Faisal can be seen swaying from side to side. Numerous LED TVs in the background and his own laptop are also seen shaking as another man scurried out of the studio behind the anchorman who continued with the bulletin.

One of the two producers working with him fled for safety, Faisal said. The second one took over and told him to break the news of the earthquake.

Faisal said he initially thought the earthquake would be of a similar nature to a “milder” one that had taken place in KP around two months ago.

"This one was very severe and its duration was longer too," Faisal said, adding that the quake "frightened" him.

After the jolts, Faisal immediately called home to inquire after his family and learnt that his father was watching him on TV as the earthquake occurred.

Faisal has since been reading comments on social media about his viral video. Almost 90% of them are encouraging while the remaining are critical of his choice to continue with the bulletin rather than run for cover.

"But it is our belief that life and death is in the hands of Allah," Faisal said. 

"And on the day that we are decreed to leave here [this world], we will leave on that day. I had faith and praise be to Allah, he gave me encouragement."


UAE-based Carrefour partners with Pakistani NGO to help the needy in Ramadan

Updated 22 March 2023

UAE-based Carrefour partners with Pakistani NGO to help the needy in Ramadan

  • Carrefour, Pakistan’s Alkhidmat Foundation to provide meals to less privileged Pakistanis in Ramadan
  • The two will also provide humanitarian aid to people affected by the devastating quake in Türkiye, Syria

ISLAMABAD: Retail company Carrefour Pakistan, owned and operated by UAE-based holding firm Majid Al Futtaim, announced on Wednesday its decision to join hands with Pakistani non-profit organization (NGO) Alkhidmat Foundation to provide relief to earthquake victims in Syria and Turkiye, and provide free meals to the less privileged in Pakistan during Ramadan. 

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and charity. The first fast in Pakistan is likely to be observed on Thursday, March 23.

Through the collaboration, Carrefour said the two would provide meals to the less privileged Pakistanis in Ramadan and also send relief items to victims of the recent devastating earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria.

“We believe in the power of collective action and community support. We are greatly pleased to join hands with Alkhidmat Foundation to play our part in eliminating food hunger in the country, whilst providing relief to those affected by the earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria,” Umer Lodhi, Carrefour Pakistan’s country manager, said.

“We hope our combined efforts will make a positive impact on those who need it the most.”

The statement added that customers would also have the opportunity to give back to the community this Ramadan by purchasing special, pre-packed boxes filled with essential food items such as rice, flour, oil, dates & pulses.

The pre-packed boxes, it said, will then be distributed among needy families to help provide them some relief during Ramadan as the South Asian country grapples with decades-high inflation.

“Earthquake relief boxes comprising shelter supplies, clothing, and non-perishable food items are available for customers to buy and donate at all Carrefour stores,” the statement said.